Some falsely teach that keeping God’s law is simply too difficult. In this fallacy, God’s law is commonly viewed as a burden which Jesus Christ came to free us from, therefore we are no longer bound to keep and do God’s commandments – or so the thinking goes.

Consequently, this teaching wrongly implies that Yahweh freed the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery and mightily delivered them to Himself at Mount Sinai, only to be enslaved all over again to an unreasonable law that, in the end, was too difficult for them to obey. Because of this, God sent His Son to earth to come and die in order to free us from His law. These are only a few misconceptions that issue from this fallacy, though there are many.

To this day, it is generally maintained that God’s law continues to be too difficult for us to obey, and that any attempt to do so would be burdensome – legalistic, even. So, the question remains.

Question – Is Keeping God’s Law Too Difficult?
Answer – No, Keeping God’s Law is Not Difficult or Burdensome

According to Scripture, keeping God’s law – His Torahis not something that is too difficult or beyond our ability. Furthermore, Scripture also declares that obeying God’s commands is not an unreasonable burden for believers. Why? Because Scripture says that His commandments are not burdensome. Rather, Scripture defines keeping God’s commandments as the proper expression of our love for Him.

We Can and Should Obey God’s Law

Many would say that keeping God’s law is an assignment to difficult to attempt. Still others might imply that not only is it too difficult – it is even oppressive. Often times, those who make keeping God’s commandments an expression of their faith are frequently called legalistic or accused of attempting to earn their salvation through works.

However, we should always remember that when Yahweh presents His law to His people, He does so to a people who have already been freed from slavery and delivered from the bondage of Egypt. Yahweh delivered them, brought them to Himself at Mount Sinai, and then offered His law to a freed people. They were never forced to accept and obey the laws of Torah, yet they agreed to do so willingly.

In light of this fact, God’s instruction to them should have been received as a great privilege, bringing with it joy and honor to the one who would walk in them. God’s laws were to be held onto dearly, they were to be cherished and treasured by His redeemed people, until it became their supreme delight.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

God’s intention in giving His law was to reveal Himself, not only to Israel, but to the entire world. Israel was to be a kingdom of priests to the other nations, a radiant light illuminating who Yahweh is and what He requires of all mankind.

What then? When we imply that God’s laws are to difficult or unattainable when He has said they’re not, we are casting aside the very means of expressing who He is and what He is like in the earth. Oh, that His words would find a place in us and would be met with a heart willing to keep them in loving devotion. Dear friends – its not too hard, we can do it.

His Commands Are For Our Good

Yahweh’s commandments were never considered to be a burden. Instead, they are a special gift to those who love Him and desire to walk in relationship with Him. Yahweh’s commandments simply provide necessary instruction of how to live our lives righteously as He is. Thus, He gave them to us for our good, well-being, and to blessing.

Deuteronomy 4:40

40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.

Deuteronomy 5:29

29 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Deuteronomy 6:17-18

17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers

Deuteronomy 6:24

24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

When we keep Yahweh’s commands and fear Him, great blessing unfolds in our lives. However, the opposite is also true if we choose to disobey and disregard Yahweh’s commands; we suffer adverse consequences. We find then that Yahweh’s commands are quite beautifully a loving Father’s instruction to His children for their good.

We Love God By Obeying His Commands

Yahweh’s commands teach us how to know and walk in relationship with Him. According to Scripture, we dare not even profess of having a true relationship with God, unless we are seeking to love Him by keeping His commandments. If we are attempting to know and love God apart from an authentic willingness to keep His commands, then Scripture affirms the deception is ours, and we do not genuinely know or love God.

1 John 2:3-5

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him

As we keep Yahweh’s commands, we’re simply exhibiting our love for Him. We have experienced His love for us through His Son, therefore, we’re simply giving preference to Him by doing what He says. None of which should ever be considered a burden, and because of love, it’s not.

1 John 5:3

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Therefore, obedience to God’s commands is His prescribed means by which we unerringly express our love and worship back to Him.

Conclusion & Application

We’ve learned that God’s law – His commandments – are not too difficult, burdensome, or unattainable for us to keep. Rather, they’re a Father’s loving instruction to His redeemed children, that yield blessing when obeyed. As we obey and keep Yahweh’s law, we express His character in all the earth. Therefore, obeying His instruction is simply an act of loving devotion to our God who has first loved us.

Posted by Aaron

I'm a follower of Yeshua, a husband to my lovely wife, and a father to our four children. Additionally, I'm a co-founder of Path of Obedience.

5 Comments

  1. God bless you.

    Reply

  2. good sermon. thaks. God bless you.

    Reply

  3. Thank you Aaron

    Here recently I have been hearing about this way of obeying the TORAH to its fullest extent. Been doing my research just to verify for myself and this message/article of yours helps with verses to prove what YHWH wants from us.

    Reply

  4. So how do you read Leviticus 19:27 The Holy Bible Douay-Rheims 1899 translation or the Tynndale Living Bible translation or the king James version and do you believe that command is still applicable to today and what about the two commands before it in Leviticus 19:26?

    Reply

    1. Hello Stacey,

      While the scripture you’ve listed mentions hair and beard-cutting, I believe it is addressing paganism and sorcery. The context of those verses is commanding not to be involved in the pagan practices of mourning rites.

      (The Canaanites would shave around the ears and upper beard, and scar themselves in these places as part of their pagan rituals.)

      Several other commands in the Torah seem to fit this same model. Example: Do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk (Ex 23:19).

      Therefore, contextually, if this passage is about cultic pagan practices, then it still instructs us as Believers who approach it in faith today – that we should have nothing to do with them.

      Of course, the things in our day are often varied: horoscopes, fortune-telling, pagan holidays, etc.

      Reply

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